1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to self-standing storage containers. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a container capable of being folded into a substantially flat position in which it occupies a minimum of space for efficient storage and distribution, and from which it can be quickly transformed to an upright, self-standing position for use in storing food or other items.
2. Prior State of the Art
Packaging products are indispensable to our present consumer-oriented society. Packaging products free people from mundane tasks such as daily shopping for fresh food. They also make consumer goods more conveniently accessible and help lower the cost of these goods. Many of the items and much of the food consumed today are perishable and require containment against contamination from and leakage into the outside environment. Virtually all products sold to consumers necessitate convenient methods of bundling, transporting, storing, and displaying. As a consequence, the majority of food and other items presently consumed come packaged in one form or another.
One of the primary objects of our increasingly service oriented economy is providing convenience to the consumer. In the packaging industry this translates to providing effective, inexpensive, and flexible packaging products. Some packaging products that currently offer a high level of convenience include home packaging and repackaging products such as disposable plastic storage bags and hard sided plastic containers. Even these convenience oriented products are in need of improvement, however, as will be discussed.
Plastic storage bags are inexpensive, air-tight, and are often used for applications such as storing and preserving frozen foods, sandwiches, and leftovers. They provide a great advantage in that they are disposable. They also take up a minimum of storage space when empty. One convenient addition to plastic storage bags is the zipper-type closure device along the opening or mouth of the bag. These zipper-type bags provide a high degree of the convenience that modern day consumers demand, but they do have certain disadvantages. For instance, zipper-type bags are difficult to stack as they are incapable of retaining their shape when filled, and they are incapable of standing on their own. They cannot be placed on a surface with their contents exposed, making them inadequate for microwave cooking, another convenience desired by modern day consumers. They are also not well suited for containing liquid materials. Additionally, filling plastic bags is inconvenient and requires pulling the bag out of a box, opening the bag, then holding the sides of the bag open while filling it. This process can be time consuming, especially when used for multiple filling operations.
Hard sided containers stand by themselves, can be reused, and are easy to fill. The contents can be stirred, heated, and otherwise accessed with the top off. Nevertheless, hard sided containers are quite bulky and take up a large amount of storage space, especially when the containers are of large volume. In addition, the lids to hard sided containers are often lost or misplaced, making proper or complete use of the hard sided containers difficult.
Another example of packaging upon which consumers rely for convenience is the grocery bag. Paper grocery bags are self-standing and much easier to fill than the plastic bags discussed above, but they are not sealable and cannot be used to contain perishable items over long periods of time. Furthermore, when opening such bags, one is required to undertake the time consuming procedure of removing a bag from a stack, opening the bag by holding it apart with one hand while thrusting the other hand into the bag, or gripping an edge portion thereof, followed by quickly moving the bag through the air causing air to enter the bag for the opening thereof. Plastic bags have also been used as grocery bags, and are desirable in that they are less expensive to produce. The main disadvantage of plastic bags is that they generally cannot maintain a standing position on their own. They must be opened and then placed on a rack in order to be easily filled. The opening procedures of both plastic and paper grocery bags are quite time consuming and require wasteful motions. In a retail store or convenience store where customer throughput is important, such time consuming operations are objectionable.
Consumers have shown a preference for self-standing reclosable plastic bags because of the convenience of filling them, of storing highly fluid liquids in them, and of microwave heating foods directly in the bag. The art has made attempts at creating such bags, as evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,849 to Erickson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,851 to Jentsh, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,930 to Tani, U.S. Pat. No. 3,249,286 to Palmer, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,775 to Boeckmann et al. Each of these attempts, however, still exhibit several drawbacks. For instance, most do not stand easily when empty and are difficult to maintain open when filling and emptying the bags. Furthermore, none of the bags fold easily, whereby the bag may be laid flat and then opened quickly to an upright, self-standing position with a minimum of effort. Additionally, none of the bags are provided with an accompanying bulk distributing method whereby the bags would be suitable for high volume filling operations.
Other needs also exist for containers that are convenient and functional. For instance, containers are needed that can be easily filled, transported, and minimized in size when empty. As an example, backpackers have a need for containers and cookware that are light and occupy a minimum of space. A metal pan or pot or rubberized container that folds flat would be highly useful where space is at a premium, such as in backpacking.
Containers might also be improved upon for bulk fluid storage. In one application, chemical and pharmaceutical companies ship large amounts of fluids in bulk and could reuse containers if they could be easily shipped and stored when empty. A self-standing foldable container made of plastic and having a sealed top would be useful for such bulk liquid storage, especially if the empty containers could be stored or transported using a minimum of space.
Containers might also be improved upon for storage or distribution of clothing, food items, or other supplies. In one application, department stores could replace their rectangular, shallow cardboard boxes that require time consuming assembly with a cardboard box dispenser holding folding boxes that instantaneously open for filling as they are removed from the dispenser. In fact, all present containers, including clothing boxes, food crates, milk cartons, and the like, would benefit from a design whereby the container is distributed in a flat position occupying a minimum of space and with which the container is easily opened into an upright self-standing position with minimal time and effort. Such a container would be even more useful if it could be dispensed in bulk in a compact dispenser from which the container and others like it were instantly released into an upright, self-standing position by merely releasing the container from the dispenser. This would make the container easier to store and ship when empty and reduce the time spent in assembling, opening, and filling the container.
From the above discussion, it is apparent that a need exists in the art for a self-standing container which is easily folded to occupy a minimum of space, which can be easily opened, and which has the flexibility to meet each of the packaging needs outlined above. Additionally, there is a need for such a container which can also be dispensed conveniently in bulk and manufactured using a process that is efficient and inexpensive.